Do we have a bad fan base compared to the rest of the NFL?

eastbayj · 2013-02-15T08:51:17-08:00

I just read Ann Killion's article on the anger many Niner fans have toward the move to S.C. The article itself wasn't what I had an issue with. When I scrolled down to check out some of the replies to the article, I couldn't help but be embarrassed to call myself a Niner fan. Now I completely understand and agree with the argument that the Niners are going to price the average fan out of season tickets with this new PSL and ticket pricing situation. But reading supposed Niner fans' responses of never going to a game to show support again, or even switching allegiances to other teams all because of the 40 mile move south really makes me think that many of our "fans" aren't really fans at all. They're not thinking of the economical reasonings behind the move. Or the countless times Eddie D. tried to keep the Niners in SF, with no help from the city (until they said they would help with another Hunters Point location. But who wants to stay there?) Anyways I just wanted to see if I might be the only one with this sentiment of embarrassment with out fan base. Here are some replies to the article I'm writing about: "A season ticket holder since 1969. But no longer will I ever attend a game. The seat license fees....the cost of the seats...the location - that's not an SF team - that's a Silicon Valley Corporate Nightmare. I guess you gotta go where the bucks are, but there was money in SF, too. I just bought shares of stock in the Packers!" "Good luck with the fans in Sata Clara! Because they don't have one here, in me!! I've been a fan since Kezar! Good bye!!" "consider this. imagine a marriage that goes thru counselling and the therapist is an idiot. the couple decides to split since the suitor for the wife lives two counties away, but she keeps the name of the husband for reference sake.she doesnt want to change her name.she THEN goes and builds a wildly expensive mansion with the husband who is but a chicken scratching the dirt poor. BUT, the wife proclaims her loyalty to her ex by putting up pictures of their wedding and marriage successes in the new house hubby number cant afford but inorder to build it lets others somehow pay for most of it, but is more expensive than cowboy stadium. so, now. lets see this for what it is. you leave a town, change the name. you are idiot enough to screw up san franciscos greatest legacy till J harbaugh frells up the perfect record with a rookie!, and then everyone closes their eyes and ears to a stadium that cant even see the dumbarton bridge on a clear day! a soulless palace to greed and stupidity, which i start with a hmo doctor and a poor excuse of a GM in terry donahue who should have been the next bill walsh. so here it is,i quit you niners for your inept superbowl ( never thought i would ever utter that!) and as a san franciscan i REFUSE to call a team TWO counties down and 17 towns away ( if i count them the way i want to ). on a parking lot plan no less. IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS IDIOTS for the next one thousand and four or less letter /characters to zero. by by idiots! " There are a lot more of these too. I can't be the only one who feels embarrassed to be lumped together with this right?

Feb 15, 2013 at 8:57 AM

49AllTheTime
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the 49ers tried every possible way to keep them there....

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:05 AM

Phoenix49ers
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Meh, most of those responses are like fake as hell, I'm know there's people that are upset about the move, I'm sure there's others who have never been a single 49ers game in their lives shedding fake alligator tears in those comments.

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:19 AM

eastbayj
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Posts: 24

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
Meh, most of those responses are like fake as hell, I'm know there's people that are upset about the move, I'm sure there's others who have never been a single 49ers game in their lives shedding fake alligator tears in those comments.

I'm with you. But I don't ever hear of New Yorkers complain, or Dallas any other team's fans openly bail on their team like this. It's weird.

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:34 AM

susweel
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Yes the fans that live Frisco dont support the team.

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:38 AM

JoeisGod
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I am a diehard Niners fan. However, I hate the city of San Francisco. As far as I am concerned, it is the ugliest city in the nation (yeah, and that includes Biloxi, Mississippi). I really don't care what a bunch of Friskites think.

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:44 AM

GNielsen
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Posts: 5,464

Originally posted by JoeisGod:
I am a diehard Niners fan. However, I hate the city of San Francisco. As far as I am concerned, it is the ugliest city in the nation (yeah, and that includes Biloxi, Mississippi). I really don't care what a bunch of Friskites think.

Really? I've seen Biloxi. You think Biloxi is prettier than San Francisco? I guess there is no accounting for taste. I've been in almost every big city in the country and my opinion is that SF is a beautiful city. Who cares if some bitter old-timers are pissed about the move and the cost of tickets? That's just a fact of life in the NFL today. If teams want to stay competitive, they have to generate revenue with corporate boxes in big, fancy stadiums. San Francisco had lots of chances. Santa Clara stepped up to the plate. And, by the way, I'm a SF native.

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:46 AM

49AllTheTime
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Posts: 73,003

Originally posted by GNielsen:

Originally posted by JoeisGod:
I am a diehard Niners fan. However, I hate the city of San Francisco. As far as I am concerned, it is the ugliest city in the nation (yeah, and that includes Biloxi, Mississippi). I really don't care what a bunch of Friskites think.

Really? I've seen Biloxi. You think Biloxi is prettier than San Francisco? I guess there is no accounting for taste. I've been in almost every big city in the country and my opinion is that SF is a beautiful city. Who cares if some bitter old-timers are pissed about the move and the cost of tickets? That's just a fact of life in the NFL today. If teams want to stay competitive, they have to generate revenue with corporate boxes in big, fancy stadiums. San Francisco had lots of chances. Santa Clara stepped up to the plate. And, by the way, I'm a SF native.

every year SF is one of the top cities in the world ..for places to go

not sure how SF can manage that if it were lies

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:48 AM

E-49er
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I gotta agree with Phoenix on this that alot of those responses are fake. Others are from so called "fans" who don't closely follow the team and raise a big fuss. Alot of those people do not see the economic advantages of the move and how this will benefit the team. They only see is 40 more miles for them to commute to get to the game. They want to blame the move on the Niners ownership but in reality the city of San Francisco politicians are really to blame. The stadium was neglected and rennovations were not done. Despite voting for the new stadium in the 90's, a plan couldn't be worked out with the city. San Francisco pretty much forced the Niner's hand in the move. So alot of these people are upset and just venting their anger on the team when it should be directed at the city.

As far as the OP's original questions if we have bad fans, I don't think we have bad fans at all. I've been a fan of the team for 31 years and 49er fans have been among the best I have met. Most 49er fans are knowledgeable in football and they know the history of the team. Now like all teams you are gonna have idiots and fairweather fans that are gonna say stupid things.That just happens wherever you are. But the Niner faithful is not any more bad as fans as any other team in the NFL.

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:52 AM

GNielsen
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Posts: 5,464

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:
every year SF is one of the top cities in the world ..for places to go

not sure how SF can manage that if it were lies

Exactly. And when someone on the east coast or in another country is getting ready to go to a Super Bowl at the new Niners stadium, they're not going to be saying, "hey, I'm off to Santa Clara for the Super Bowl!" It's something all the other cities in the Bay Area have been dealing with for years and it's not likely to change because of a 45-mile drive south for the stadium. And again, the people of SF had their chances. They were much more interested in new Opera Houses and museums and that's fine. They're more interested in making it a biking town. Great. No problem.

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:55 AM

#10

susweel
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Niners should change their name to Santa Clara 49ers other ideas

Golden State 49ers
Bay Area 49ers
Great America's 49ers
Silicon Valley 49ers

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:57 AM

#11

niners94
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Posts: 12,651

Originally posted by susweel:
Niners should change their name to Santa Clara 49ers other ideas

Golden State 49ers
Bay Area 49ers
Great America's 49ers
Silicon Valley 49ers

California 49ers

Feb 15, 2013 at 9:58 AM

#12

cciowa
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Posts: 60,541

they whine more about the refs and how the nfl is against us more than any other fan base, cept for the packers and seattle

Feb 15, 2013 at 10:02 AM

#13

49AllTheTime
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Posts: 73,003

Originally posted by niners94:

Originally posted by susweel:
Niners should change their name to Santa Clara 49ers other ideas

Golden State 49ers
Bay Area 49ers
Great America's 49ers
Silicon Valley 49ers

California 49ers

2013 Super Bowl Champion 49ers

Feb 15, 2013 at 10:04 AM

#14

iLL49er
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Posts: 5,768

i think the 49ers fan base is in the surrounding bay area, not the city of sf...the city is transient and the loyal fan base isn't there its in the surrounding bay area